Deadlines

I think it is rude to give a deadline that is on a holiday. As if you are too ridiculously busy to check your schedule. Please.

Less / Fewer

Ann Marie's post below reminded me of a grammatical error that always bugs me. Ok, there are many of these, but here's one I've seen/heard a lot recently and it makes me angry to hear it misused. Inappropriate reaction? Yes. Ergo, Strong Judgment / Trivial Matter.

One has LESS of an item that can't be counted, but FEWER of something that can be (except in cases of continuous measurement, where less is acceptable, but we can ignore that for the moment).

For example: "There is less traffic now because of the recession" versus "there are fewer cars on the road now because of the recession."

(one can, in theory, count cars. One cannot count traffic).

Money is another exception, one can say that you have less than ten dollars. This is both because of the continuous measurement exception noted above and also because money is in itself a symbol, generally referring to a value as opposed to the actual number of bits of paper in your hand (in which case one might have fewer than ten dollar bills).

Coming soon: amount v. number in common usage.

PLEASE

It is confused ABOUT, not confused ON.
Peace.

Out.

Also, this is SAD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXkCSIRYUE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&feature=player_embedded

"That's Called..."

I'm watching the NBA Finals, which I utterly don't care about at all, but it's fun to watch while I catch up on my internet reading/sitting around.

What gets my goat is when the announcer in any sports game notices something good that a player does on the court/field and says, "That's what's called...great defense, posting up, using your head...etc."

I guess I find it awkward and somehow condescending, as if the player did it by accident and the announcer is there to tell him or her what that play actually accomplishes.

Proofread your resume

Here are some things to keep in mind when applying for a job.
Note: while applying for a job is not a trivial matter, all the things I'm about to cover are pretty trivial. I'm going to assume the non-trivial is adequately covered elsewhere.

• Submit your application to the correct person. If, just as a random example, the job description says "email cover letter and resume to ____", follow that instruction. Don't email your cover letter and resume to (A) the current holder of the job you are applying for (B) the person listed as the agency contact on the listing or (C) all of the above. Because then you look like you can't follow a simple instruction. If you can't read a damn job description and do what it says, than probably you're not a good candidate for the job.
• Did we ask for a writing sample? No? Ok, then don't send one. Maybe we will later. Right now? Nope.
• Oh, we asked for a writing sample? Then why didn't you send one?
  
• How long is your resume? Really? You think that requires two and a half pages? REALLY? No one's looking past page 1 buddy. Seriously.
• No, I mean that. I know a lot of people say a 2 page resume is ok, but seriously? I can't be bothered. Unless you are HOT SHIT. A resume is not a CV.
• Ok, fine, if it must be two pages, at least make it fit neatly. 1 page plus a couple inches on the back just looks like bad formatting. I guarantee I could make it fit. If you're going to have the chutzpah to go two pages, then you'd damn well better have enough interesting things to say to fill both pages.
• THREE PAGES? REALLY? Man, you've had way too many jobs. Do you have a problem with authority? Are you going to quit after six months?
  
• That typo? Right there? That anyone proofreading for you could see? That just cost you an interview. Because you don't care enough to check. There's a recession, you may have heard, there are a million applicants for every job. Your typo? Matters.
• I know what a barista does. You don't need to explain it. If you need to make it sound relevant, do that--briefly--in your cover letter.
• Oh, and your cover letter? It needs to be specific to this job you're applying for. Not generic and bland. Explain your experience, tell a story, etc.
  
• Oh, and, also...do that in one short letter.
  
• If you have to email your resume, and you are using anything other than the most basic fonts, convert the thing to a PDF. Heck, even if your fonts are basic. There are a million free programs that you can download from the internet to turn documents into PDFs.
  
• Not to be harsh, but if you can't figure that last point out, or ask someone to help, then you're probably not the best candidate for an office job.
  
• If the job description emphasizes written and verbal communication skills, there really can't be any grammatical errors in the cover letter. Especially in the part where you say you are a good communicator.

Lest you think this is all related to the fact that I'm leaving my job, it's actually mostly not. I'm not on that search committee, thank goodness. No, I just do a lot of alumni volunteering and look at a lot of application materials in several volunteer capacities. It is amazing how often really smart people screw up the easiest shit.

Harem pants???!?!?!?!?!?

Oh for the love of Mike....
I am a huge fan of The Sartorialist, and a huge fan of bold fashion choices. This girl is stunningly beautiful, and I love her shoes. But these crazy Harem/diaper/skirt pants that are going around?

I SAY NO.

When Great Slang Goes Away

Remember when everyone was "in the tank" for Barack Obama?
That was so funny, and now, nobody says it anymore (for fear of retribution from the CIA?).

IN THE TANK. I read it today on Slate or Salon or some such internet magazine, and it made my day.

Commenters...

...and commentators are not the same thing.

The first is a direct nominalization of "to comment". Ergo it refers to someone who comments. Like on this blog. As a form of another word, it does not get a separate dictionary definition.

A commentator is slightly different, he or she is someone who "discusses news, sports, weather or the like, as on TV or the radio" or "someone who makes commentaries".

The latter implies some analysis, the former is more reactive.

Clear?

Oh, and while we're talking word choice, I'm still waiting for someone to give me one scenario where "utilize" is a more appropriate choice than "use". Just one. It has yet to happen.

Product Samples

In general, I love a free sample. It's one of my favorite things about cosmetics stores (the over attention of the salespeople is my least favorite, see below). The biggest drawback of samples in my mind is my general unease about the environmental impact of getting single-use anything, particularly when it's in a non recyclable container. However, I'm still somewhat of a girly-girl when it comes to what one college friend always referred to as "product" and will fall for just about anything with a pretty smell and lovely packaging. Ahem.

Back to the strong feelings. Shampoo samples need to come in packages that can be opened in the shower.

Actually, I'm not sure that needs much elaboration. But seriously, product designers: if you give me a sample of your product in a package that can not be opened in the environment in which it is designed to be used, then I'm never going to use it and thus never be converted. I'm sure the indented tabs looked good in the lab, but in practice dry hands and/or scissors are often necessary, and neither of those is present in the shower.

Yesterday morning I dismantled an old razor blade and tried to use it to saw through the plastic (I know, I know, and from futernatural.com no less) package. No luck. I'll never know if that product was going to end my quest for a natural hair care product that doesn't leave my hair unclean, brittle, and/or stringy.